Special Warfare Command
Encyclopedia
Republic of Korea Army Special Warfare Command (ROKASWC, Korean
: 대한민국 육군 특수전사령부) is the military command of the Republic of Korea Army
responsible for their special operation forces. It consists of 7 brigades, and its main tasks include conducting reconnaissance
and other tasks, mostly behind enemy lines.
Since 1993, the South Korean military has trained experts by sending officers to various PKO training institutions such as the Northern Europe United Nations Training Corps (UNTC), Poland
, and Ireland
. And since 1995, officers and related government officials have been sent to the Pearson Peacekeeping Center (PPC) in Canada
. To lay the foundation for PKO education domestically, in 1995 the military designated the Joint Services Staff College to be the lead institution to educate officers to become military observers and staff. In May 1998, the PKO Department was officially inaugurated within the college. Moreover, the Special Warfare Command's Education Corps was designated as the institution solely responsible for unit-level education of PKO forces by providing solid education for infantry and engineer personnel.
ROK special forces brigades work in close relationship wit the U.S. Special Forces groups. Volunteers for these brigades undergo training in high skilled weapon handling
and parachuting
. All weapons and equipment used by the ROK special forces are U.S.
products.
Units of the command include:
was held, in which 78.5 percent of the electorate opted for independence. However, indigenous militias who opposed East Timor's independence caused devastating violence. Accordingly, the UN Security Council adopted a resolution to grant installation of the International Forces in East Timor (INTERFET
), and the UN Secretary General together with the government of Australia
officially requested the South Korean government's participation, in addition to other UN-member nations such as Indonesia
, who agreed to the deployment of the multinational forces and actively requested the participation of Asian nations.
In response to the international request to maintain security and restore order, the South Korean government authorized the formation of a second Evergreen Unit. With a battalion strength of 419 personnel—201 from ROK Special Forces with the balance of personnel from transportation, supply, communications, and medical specialties—the Evergreen unit arrived in Lautem, East Timor on 1 October 1999. Upon their arrival, the area was still reeling from post-election violence and 40 per cent of the island's built-up infrastructure—including markets, schools and housing—had been destroyed by rioters. The population of 50,000 had dropped to 20,000 as a result of refugee movement in response to the widespread violence. Shortly thereafter, the 2nd Evergreen Unit formally initiated operations on 22 October 1999 in Lospalos, East Timor. Using its security component, detached from the 5th Special Forces brigade, Special Warfare Command, the Evergreen's area of responsibility covered just 12% of East Timor's land mass.
After a six-month deployment that ended on 28 April 2000, the original 419 members of the Korean battalion returned to Korea after conducting a two-week long, in-theater handover and orientation for their replacements. In February 2002, the battalion was redeployed to the Oeucci enclave to continue Peacekeeping Operations. In April, 2003, an additional 250-strong element from the 8th ROK BATT, deployed for a six-month peacekeeping mission in Oecussi, East Timor. In addition to security operations, the unit engaged in public relations and election-related work, including voter registration, and humanitarian assistance.
Korean language
Korean is the official language of the country Korea, in both South and North. It is also one of the two official languages in the Yanbian Korean Autonomous Prefecture in People's Republic of China. There are about 78 million Korean speakers worldwide. In the 15th century, a national writing...
: 대한민국 육군 특수전사령부) is the military command of the Republic of Korea Army
Republic of Korea Army
The Republic of Korea Army is the largest of the military branches of the South Korean armed forces with 520,000 members as of 2010...
responsible for their special operation forces. It consists of 7 brigades, and its main tasks include conducting reconnaissance
Reconnaissance
Reconnaissance is the military term for exploring beyond the area occupied by friendly forces to gain information about enemy forces or features of the environment....
and other tasks, mostly behind enemy lines.
Since 1993, the South Korean military has trained experts by sending officers to various PKO training institutions such as the Northern Europe United Nations Training Corps (UNTC), Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
, and Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
. And since 1995, officers and related government officials have been sent to the Pearson Peacekeeping Center (PPC) in Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. To lay the foundation for PKO education domestically, in 1995 the military designated the Joint Services Staff College to be the lead institution to educate officers to become military observers and staff. In May 1998, the PKO Department was officially inaugurated within the college. Moreover, the Special Warfare Command's Education Corps was designated as the institution solely responsible for unit-level education of PKO forces by providing solid education for infantry and engineer personnel.
Organisation
The command includes seven special warfare brigades that receive special training for counter-terrorist missions. These seven brigades were funded in 1957 and fall under the jurisdiction of the Special Warfare Command, which was funded in 1969. ROK special forces brigades main tasks include collecting information in enemy territory and carrying out special missions.ROK special forces brigades work in close relationship wit the U.S. Special Forces groups. Volunteers for these brigades undergo training in high skilled weapon handling
Weapon
A weapon, arm, or armament is a tool or instrument used with the aim of causing damage or harm to living beings or artificial structures or systems...
and parachuting
Parachuting
Parachuting, also known as skydiving, is the action of exiting an aircraft and returning to earth with the aid of a parachute. It may or may not involve a certain amount of free-fall, a time during which the parachute has not been deployed and the body gradually accelerates to terminal...
. All weapons and equipment used by the ROK special forces are U.S.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
products.
Units of the command include:
- Special Warfare Training Group
- 1st Special Forces Brigade (Airborne) 'Eagle'
- 3rd Special Forces Brigade (Airborne) 'Flying Tiger'
- 5th Special Mission Group (Airborne) 'Black Dragon'
- 7th Special Forces Brigade (Airborne) 'Pegasus'
- 9th Special Forces Brigade (Airborne) 'Ghost'
- 11th Special Forces Brigade (Airborne) 'Golden Bat'
- 13th Special Forces Brigade (Airborne) 'Black Panther'
- 707th Special Mission Battalion 'White Tiger'
Evergreen unit
The Evergreen Unit is an ad-hoc, all-volunteer, amalgamated ROK Army unit (usually of battalion strength), composed of various members of the South Korean military (including infantry, combat support elements such as engineers and medics, ROK Special Forces and the ROK Marine Corps.), trained specifically for conducting worldwide security operations and rendering humanitarian assistance during ad-hoc overseas deployments and UN Peacekeeping Operations.Somalia
The South Korean military participated in UN-led Peacekeeping Operations for the first time ever when it activated and deployed the "Evergreen" unit in the summer of 1993 to Somalia for the purpose of overseas reconstruction and humanitarian work. The Evergreen unit is an amalgamated ROK Army battalion-sized engineering unit (named after Korea's ubiquitous perennial conifers), activated for the first time on June 30, 1993 specifically for the Somali PKO deployment. The battalion-sized element, consisting of 504 men (rotated annually), participated in repairing roads and rendering humanitarian assistance during the crisis in Somalia at the time. By the time their mission ended in September 1994, the Evergreen unit deployed some 2,700 men and 1,300 pieces of equipment, successfully linking Balad and Zohar via a rebuilt road, and effectively cooperating with U.S. forces in building another road from Balad to Afgoa.East Timor
On August 30, 1999, a UN-mandated referendum for independence in East TimorEast Timor
The Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste, commonly known as East Timor , is a state in Southeast Asia. It comprises the eastern half of the island of Timor, the nearby islands of Atauro and Jaco, and Oecusse, an exclave on the northwestern side of the island, within Indonesian West Timor...
was held, in which 78.5 percent of the electorate opted for independence. However, indigenous militias who opposed East Timor's independence caused devastating violence. Accordingly, the UN Security Council adopted a resolution to grant installation of the International Forces in East Timor (INTERFET
INTERFET
The International Force for East Timor was a multinational peacekeeping taskforce, mandated by the United Nations to address the humanitarian and security crisis which took place in East Timor from 1999–2000 until the arrival of United Nations peacekeepers...
), and the UN Secretary General together with the government of Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
officially requested the South Korean government's participation, in addition to other UN-member nations such as Indonesia
Indonesia
Indonesia , officially the Republic of Indonesia , is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania. Indonesia is an archipelago comprising approximately 13,000 islands. It has 33 provinces with over 238 million people, and is the world's fourth most populous country. Indonesia is a republic, with an...
, who agreed to the deployment of the multinational forces and actively requested the participation of Asian nations.
In response to the international request to maintain security and restore order, the South Korean government authorized the formation of a second Evergreen Unit. With a battalion strength of 419 personnel—201 from ROK Special Forces with the balance of personnel from transportation, supply, communications, and medical specialties—the Evergreen unit arrived in Lautem, East Timor on 1 October 1999. Upon their arrival, the area was still reeling from post-election violence and 40 per cent of the island's built-up infrastructure—including markets, schools and housing—had been destroyed by rioters. The population of 50,000 had dropped to 20,000 as a result of refugee movement in response to the widespread violence. Shortly thereafter, the 2nd Evergreen Unit formally initiated operations on 22 October 1999 in Lospalos, East Timor. Using its security component, detached from the 5th Special Forces brigade, Special Warfare Command, the Evergreen's area of responsibility covered just 12% of East Timor's land mass.
After a six-month deployment that ended on 28 April 2000, the original 419 members of the Korean battalion returned to Korea after conducting a two-week long, in-theater handover and orientation for their replacements. In February 2002, the battalion was redeployed to the Oeucci enclave to continue Peacekeeping Operations. In April, 2003, an additional 250-strong element from the 8th ROK BATT, deployed for a six-month peacekeeping mission in Oecussi, East Timor. In addition to security operations, the unit engaged in public relations and election-related work, including voter registration, and humanitarian assistance.
See also
- Military of South KoreaMilitary of South KoreaThe Republic of Korea Armed Forces or ROK Armed Forces, is the armed forces of the Republic of Korea...
- Republic of Korea ArmyRepublic of Korea ArmyThe Republic of Korea Army is the largest of the military branches of the South Korean armed forces with 520,000 members as of 2010...
- Republic of Korea Marine CorpsRepublic of Korea Marine CorpsThe Republic of Korea Marine Corps is the marine corps of the Republic of Korea...
- List of military equipment of Republic of Korea
- Special Operations Command KoreaSpecial Operations Command KoreaSpecial Operations Command Korea is a United States military organization in South Korea that provides special operations forces to United States Forces Korea, the United Nations Command, and the Combined Forces Command...
(SOCKOR) - Combined Unconventional Warfare Task Force (CUWTF)
- Special Activities DivisionSpecial Activities DivisionThe Special Activities Division is a division in the United States Central Intelligence Agency's National Clandestine Service responsible for covert operations known as "special activities"...
- Delta ForceDelta Force1st Special Forces Operational Detachment-Delta is one of the United States' secretive Tier One counter-terrorism and Special Mission Units. Commonly known as Delta Force, Delta, or The Unit, it was formed under the designation 1st SFOD-D, and is officially referred to by the Department of Defense...
- SEAL Team Six
External links
- Global Security.org ROK Special Warfare Command